Morte di Lavenda Odiode a Montebelluna: sospetti sulla shaken baby syndrome

MONTEBELLUNA – Tragedy struck on January 4th, when the young Lavenda Odiode, just a year and a half old, passed away in the pediatric cardiothoracic ward of the Padua hospital. However, her death may not have been caused by a sudden illness as initially thought. Following the autopsy, there is a suspicion that the tragedy could be linked to shaken baby syndrome. This suspicion has led investigators to list the child’s parents as suspects, with the hypothesis of premeditated murder.

The dynamics of the tragedy

Lavenda was awakened on the morning of December 30th by her mother, who noticed that the child was having difficulty breathing. When she approached the crib, the little girl was in a state of complete inertia, most likely due to a nighttime apnea that led to cardiac arrest. Emergency assistance was immediately requested, and shortly after, Suem 118 operators arrived at the family’s home in San Gaetano di Montebelluna. After resuscitating her, the child was urgently transported to the Padua hospital, where she was admitted to the pediatric cardiothoracic ward. Despite the efforts of the doctors, Lavenda passed away during the night between January 3rd and 4th.

The causes of death: shaken baby syndrome

Although the initial cause of death was attributed to a sudden illness, doctors in Padua raised the suspicion that it could be related to shaken baby syndrome, known to cause brain trauma due to violent shaking. The autopsy, conducted by forensic pathologist Alberto Furlanetto, revealed signs of internal brain trauma, fueling the suspicion of physical abuse, albeit without visible signs of violence on the child’s body.

The family context

Lavenda was the youngest of three children of David Imoukuede, a 41-year-old worker, and Mercy, 33 years old, both originally from Nigeria and living in Italy for eight years. The family always described the child as healthy, with the only recorded ailment being a slight cold. The father, devastated by the tragedy, had shared that the child had never shown signs of illness, except for the cold for which the pediatrician had prescribed a nebulizer treatment.

Community support

The mayor of Montebelluna, Adalberto Bordin, expressed the condolences of the municipal administration, recalling that the Odiode family was an integral part of the local community.

The investigations now focus on the cause of death and the suspicion that the child may have been shaken in a way that caused her serious brain damage. Investigators, after examining the autopsy and hearing testimonies, are now awaiting the final report from the forensic pathologist, which could lead to further developments in the case.